Machine for printing tickets



Aug, 26, wm 1,506,242 L J. A. KELLER MACHINE FOR PRINTING TICKETS V Filed Avril ll 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l f l I //g ATTORNEY.

ug'. 26, i924.,l ],506,242

` J. A. KELLER l MACHINE FOR PRINTNG TICKETS Filed April ll, 1923' A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fatented Aug. 26, 1924.

4UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN .ALVJYN KELLER', OF BAY SHORE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO KELLER PRENTING COMIPANY, OE NEVI YORK, N. Y., .A GOB/OB-ATION 0F 'NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR PRINTNG TICKETS.

Application filed April 1,1, 1923. Serial No. 631,345.

To @ZZ whom t may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, JOHN Anwn KELLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bay Shore, in the County of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in lllachines 'for lrinting Tickets, of which the following is a specific-ation.

This invention relates to machines for printing tickets, and it has particular relation to an improved mechanism for imprinting the lot numbers or other identifying data successively upon clothing Atickets which are to`be attached to garments or upon other or analogous tickets which are Vfed tlnoughN the machine in continuous strips comprisinfr successively the respective ticket units. V

My present improvements are directed especially to the class of such ticket-printing machines which is known as non-automatic, in that the printing media is set in Idesired status and does not itself vary or change automatically to imprint successive or different numbers or figures, but is manually readjusted or set to vary the imprint.

The object of my invention is to provide a sinipie and improved mechanism of the character set forth, which will possess advantages in point of convenience in adjustment or setting of the Vprinting media, positive and effective action, economy in construction and general efficiency.

lin the drawings- Figure 1 a perspective view of a ticketprinting machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is va vertical,longitudinal sectionalv view through the machine on the plane of the main shaft which carries the printing` media.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line Vi- 9), Fig. 2.

Fig. 4t is detail face view of the head of the main shaft and the printing media carried thereon,

Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section on the line .v -5, Fig. 4.

Gis a detail cross-section on the line Eig. A is detail perspective view of one type discs. 8 is a detail face view of the platen Corresponding parts ink all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, l have herein illustrated one of the usual types of ticketprinting machines to which my invention and improvements are adapted, and 1t designates a framework which comprises a bearing, 15, for the main revoluble shaft, 16, upon which the printing media is mounted, and another bearing, 17, for the revoluble shaft, 18, which carries the platen drinn, said shafts being mounted horizontally with the shaft 18 beneath the shaft 16 and respectively carrying intermeshing gears, lil- 20, whereby their revolution in reverse directions is effected under action of a crankhandle, 21, carried by the main shaft 16, or other suitable driving means. Said framework also comprises a top arm, 22, carrying a fixed shaft., 23, upon which is mounted an inking roller, e, preferably as an idler,D in a plane in which the surface of the inking roller will intermittently contact with the type-heads of the printing media carried by the revoluble main shaft 16 and be advanced in a revoluble step-movement by such cor-.-

tact. Said inking roller is preferably ad? justably mounted with relation to its contact with the printing media, such adjustment being by means of a slot, as indicated at 25, in the frame arm 22, in which the end of the fixed shaft seated and seciufed by a set-nut, '26. rlhe framework 1 also carries a feed table, 2T, leading to the iinpression surface of the platen drum, along which the continuous ticket-strip, shown at 2S, .is fed and guided for the imprint upon its respective ticket units.

The foregoing general features of construction and associate arrangement of parts is as usual in the type of ticket-printing machines in connection with which the embodiment of` 1 y present invention and improvements is herein illustrated. Usually, in such machines, the main shaft 16 has been provided with a cylindrical head having one or more longitudinal grooves or recesses in its peripheral or circumferential surface, in which groove 0r socket individual type are seated and set in desired series and alignment, as in a printers composing-stick, and secured in set position by compression screws operative in the end of said shaft-head and `ble main shaft, 16, and can be varied in' its set7 to produce any desired change in the imprint, and securely locked 1n ltsre-set, without removal from the 'shaft-head. The

printing media `thus operative and mounted is constituted by a series of type-discs, 29, which are mounted to permit a revoluble step-movement and respectively have a series 'of variable printing 'characters extending circumferentially of their periphery and forming type-heads, a's at 30. Said series of type-discs are mounted side by side and in alignment and collectively constitute a printing-drum. A

I have herein shown my improvements as adapted for printing a lot number upon the successive units of the continuous ticketstrip, and for this purpose each type-disc 29 has at its periphery a co-ntinuous series i of equi-distantly spaced numerals constituting ten 'units Vfrom 1 to 0 inclusive and forming type-heads, as at 30. Thus, when the type-discs are mounted side by side with their respective type-heads `30 in alignment, the type-heads collectively form a desired set 'of numbers extending across the printing-drum constituted by the typediscs, and by turning the respect-ive typediscs in a revoluble step-movement with relation to their common axis the transverse set of numbers for the imprint will be altered or changed as desired. When the printing characters of the type-discs are constituted by numerals,`for imprinting lot numbers or analogous uses, a portion of the periphery between the numerals l and O is left blank, as at 31, and the set o-f numerals may also `Lbe supplemented by a type-head dash or hyphen following the O, as at 32, and thus the set of type-discs may be adjusted to imprint any desired number or set of numbers from 1 to I`(for instance) 1 000 000, according to the plurality of type-disc units employed for the printin -drum.

It will there ore be understood that any desired variation or adjustment of the imprint, according to the character of the type-heads 3() as employed upon the set'of type-discs, may be accomplished in the adaptation of my improvem'ents'to divers purposes in printing ticket-strips, and that the revoluble main drive-shaft 16 and its head, 34, whereby the axis of thetype-discs in their revoluble step-movement in re-set tingis eccentric to the axis of the main shaft 16 and the printing-drum constituted by the type-'discs is thus eccentric to the 'axis of said main shaft and carries the typeheads 30 in proj'ecltive position beyond the arc of a circle having itis center at the axis of vsaid main shaft 16.

In the preferred construction for 'effecting the conditions above set forth, the head, 34, carried by the main shaft 16 is -recessed or cut away to form an open body portion. affording a platform or seat, as ait 35,' extending beyond the inner wallV or flange, 36, ofthe head, the depth of said `openbody portion being preferably von a plane beyond 'the axis` ofthe shaft 16 and hea-d 34. The periphery or surface of the head, as at37, beneath the platform 35, and the periphery ofthe end flange 36, are cylindrical in contour, conforming to a circle havingr its center at the axis of the shaft 16, and the shaft carries the head in a revoluble movement by fixed connection with said end wall or flange 36.

A boxing or framework, 38, for carryingthe printing-drum, is seated and fixed with.- in the open body portion'of the shaft-head 34 and upon the platform 35 andcomprises end walls, 39-39, connected by transverse base-plates, 410, the latter being seated upon the vhead-platform 35 with the inner end wall, 39 against the outer face of the end wall or flange 36 of the shaft d6. The shaft-head 341C with its end flange 36 and the boxing or framework 38 are respectively preferably formed integrally from a metallic block or body, and said printing-drum boxing 33 is preferably detachably secured to the shaft-head by means of screws, as at 41, having countersunk heads at the under surface 37 of said head and entering the cross base-plates 10 of the boxing. fixed shaft 33 which constitutes the nfi'ounting for the type-discs extends between the end walls 39 of the boxing 38 and is carried thereby, preferably in detachable connection by means of screw-fasteni-ngs, as at l2-13, the plane of said shaft being a fsuitable distance above the base of said boxing.

The means for locking the type-discs 29 in their manually-set adjustment or posi- :tion is 'preferably constitu-ted by a paw-l and ratchet construction. In such lockingmeans The.

as herein shown, each type-disc is provided at one face with a laterally-projecting side plate, 44, preferably integral with the dise and surrounding the central idler-bearing opening, 45, thereof, said lateral portion having a cylindrical periphery provided with equidistant ratchets, 46, located with relation to each type-head 30 in the revoluble step-movements of the dise. A series of pawls, 47, are mounted with relation to the respective type-discs, with their locking points, 48, entering between the respective discs of the series constituting the printingdrum and respectively engaging the rat-chets 46 thereof, said pawls preferably consisting of metallic plates of suitable contour. The series of pawls are pivotally mounted at their lower ends'upon a crosspin, 49, extending between the end walls 39 of the boxing 38 at a point above the base and near the front thereof, and each pawl is controlled in its normally-fixed engagement with the disc-ratchets 46 by a spring arm, 50, projectively carried by a plate, 51, fastened at its lower portion to the front edge of the cross base-plate of the boxing 38 at the front of the latter, said spring arms respectively bearing against'the outer edge of the respective plate-pawls 47.

Under the foregoing construction, the adjust-ment or re-setting of the respective typediscs 29 can be conveniently effected by springing the respective spring control-arms 50 outwardly, by means of a suitable tool or implement, to release the bearing upon the pawl-plate 47, and then turning the typedisc manually in its desired idler7 stepmovement to set7 the desired type-head 30, after which the spring arm is released and is again operative to retain the pawl in locking engagement with the disc-ratchet 46. Thus, the alignment of the type-heads of the set of type-discs can be varied t-o produce the desired imprint and the discs locked in adjusted position, by convenient manipulation without removing any part of the printing media from the carryinghead of the main drive-shaft 16, and it will be furthe-1' noted that the improved construction as above described enables the removal of the printing-drum and its carrying boxing or framework 38 from the shaft-head 34 and the removal of the shaft and discs of the printing-drum from said'boxing, to enable substitution of other type-dises with variable printing characters at the typeheads 30, as may be desired in the use of the ticket-printing machine.

The revoluble platen drum, 52, has a cylindrical circumference the surface of which is covered by a sheathing, 58, of rubber or other suitable material forming an impresion bed, and in the improved construction according to my present invention the cylindrical circumferential surface of the platen drum is provided with a transverse ridge at a point which will be coincident with the transverse set of type-heads 30 which constitute the impression members in the reverse revolution of the platen drum and the head 34 of the main drive-shaft 16. Said ridge thus forms the platen bed in producing the impression and is the only point on the circumference of the platen drum at which a printing impression is made. The purpose of thus providing a definite transverse raised platen bed, as constituted by said ridge, is to afford an impression surface directly related to and coacting with the printing set of type-heads and thus preclude smearing or blurring of the imprint under the relative revoluble movements of the platen drum and printing media.

The preferred construction for said impression ridge comprises a bar or block, 54, having a top surface, as at 55, forming the platen bed, beneath which the sides of the block are of dovetail contour, as at 56 56, said block being inserted and seated beneath the surface sheathing 53 in a corresponding transverse dovetail recess or groove, 57, in the peripheral portion of the platen drum.

The operation and advantages of my improvements will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains. Any desired alignment of the type-heads of the type-discs can be conveniently effected and maintained, to produce the desired impression successively upon the units of the ticket-strip at each revolution of the main drive-shaft., without removal of the printing media from the head of said shaft. n

It will be understood that in the types of ticket-printing machines to which my improvement-s especiallyv relate, only one impression is made at each revolution of the main shaft carrying the printing media, and therefore the continuous ticket-strip 26 is intermittently locked in its passage through the machine from the feed-table 27 and released to permit each successive ticketunit to pass through in position to receive the impression. rlhis control of the ticketstrip is eifected by a laterally-acting springcontrolled catch, 58, mounted at the front of the feed-table and engaging with the usual edge-notches, as at 59, in the ticket-strip between each unit, said catch. being operated in a release movement by a lateral camflange, 60, carried at the outer side of the platen drum at a point coincident with the passage of the ticket-unit in receiving the printing impression. At a point corresponding to the cam-flange 60 in the reverse revoluble movement of the platen drum and the head of the main drive-shaft 16, said shaft-head carries upon the periphery of its inner wall or flange 36 a segmental periph- C.. uv)

erally-projecting plate, Gl, bearing with relation to the cylindrical inner periphery, 62, of the platen drum and acting with pressure upon the ticket-strip during the respective. revolution of the parts to feed the ticket-strip forward between the plate 6l and periphery G2 while the strip is released for the duration of one ticket-unit from action of the locking-catch 58.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the detail features of construction and arrangement as herein shown and described, as it is manifest that variations and modifications therein may be resorted to, in the adaptation of my invention to varying conditions of use, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and improvements. I therefore reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invent-ion and the terms of the fol lowing claims:

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a machine for printing tickets, a revoluble shaft,'a printing-drum carried by said shaft and consisting of type-discs having a series of variable type-heads at their periphery, said type-discs being mounted in transverse series on an axis eccentric to the axis of said shaft and Vrespectively having an idler turnable movement independent of the rotary movement of said shaft, and means for respectively locking and retaining each of said type-discs in constant fixed position against turnable movement at all times during the revolution of said main shaft, whereby the type-discs are in permanent fixed relation during operation of the machine and variable only by manual adjustment.

2. In a machine for printing tickets, a

revoluble shaft, a fixed shaft carried by` said revoluble shaft on a plane eccentric to the axis thereof, a printing-drum consisting of type-discs having type-heads at their periphery and turnably mounted in transverse series upon said fixed shaft, and means for respectively locking and retaining each of said type-discs in constant fixed position against turnable movement at all times during the revolution of said main shaft, whereby the type-discs are in permanent fixed relation during operation of the machine and variable only by manual adjustment.

3. In a machine for printing tickets, a revoluble shaft, a boxing member carried by said revoluble shaft, a printing-drum carried by said boxing and consisting of typediscs having aV series of variable type-heads at their periphery, said type-discs being mounted on an axis eccentric to the axis of said shaft and in transverse series between the end walls of said boxing and respectively having an idler turn'able movement independent of the rotary movementf of said shaft,Y and means for 'respectively locking and retaining each of said typediscs in constant fixed position against turnable movementl at all times during the revolution of 'said main shaft, whereby the typediscs are in permanent fixed relation during operation of the machine and variable only by manual adjustment.

4:. In a machine for printing tickets, a revoluble shaft, a boxing member carried by said revoluble shaft, a. fixed shaft carried by said boxing on a plane eccentric. to the axis of said revoluble shaft, a printingdrumrcarried by said boxing and consisting of type-discs having type-heads at their periphery and turnably mounted inv transverse series between the end wallsy of said boxing and upon said fixed shaft, and means carried by said boxing and operative to relil spectively lock and retain each of said type- Y,

discs in constantfixed position against turnable movement at all times during the revolution of said main shaft, whereby the type-discs are in permanent xed relation during operationof the machine and variable only by manual adjustment.

5. In a machine for printing tickets, a revoluble' shaft having a recessed head, a boxing member secured to and seated in and carried by said recessed head, a printing-L drum carried by said boxing and consisting of type-discs having type-heads at their periphery, said type-discs being mounted on an axis eccentric to the axis of said shaft and in transverse series between the end walls of said boxing and respectively having 'an idler turnable movement upon their mounting on said boxing independent of the rotary movement of said shaft, and means for respectively locking and retaining each of said type-discs in constant fixed position against turnable movement at all times during the revolution of said main shaft, whereby the type-discs are in permanent fixed relation during operation of the machine and variable only by manual adjustment.

6. In a machine for printing tickets, a revoluble shaft, a boxing member attachably and removably carried by said shaft, and printing media lentirely carried by said boxing, said media comprising type-discs having a series of variable type-heads at their periphery and mounted on an axis eccentric to the axis of said vshaft and in transverse series between the end walls of said boxing, said type-discs respectively having a consta-nt fixed position against turnable movement upon their mounting on said boxing at all times during the revolution of said main shaft, whereby the type-discs are in permanent fixed relation during operation of the machine and variable only by manual adjustment.

ICO

7. ln a machine for printing tickets, a revoluhle cylindrical platen drum having at its circumference a ridge extending transversely across the surface of the drum and projective from the periphery thereof, said transverse surface-ridge forming the platen bed and constituting the only point on the c' cumference of the drum at Which a printing impression is made.

8. ln a machine for printing tickets, a revoluble cylindrical platen drum having at its circumference a transverse recess or groove in its periphery, and a bar or block longitudinally seated in said groove and forming a ridge extending transversely across the surface of the drum and projective from the periphery thereof, said transversc surface-ridge constituting the platen hed at which the printing impression is made.

9. In a machine for printing tickets, a revoluble platen drum having at its circumference a dovetail recess or groove extending transversely of the drum, and a dovetail bar or block keyed in said groove and having a projective platen surface forming a ridge extending transversely across the surface ofthe drum and projective from the periphery thereof, said transverse surfaceridge constituting the platen hed at which the printing impression is made,

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

JOHN ALVYN KELLER. 

